Florida authorities rescue sea turtle tangled in $53 million worth of cocaine

A U.S. Coast Guard boat based out of Key West, Florida, recently helped out a struggling sea turtle that wrapped itself in seven tons of blow.

While assisting with a joint drug enforcement task force involving the Royal Canadian Army and the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team, a U.S. Coast guard vessel was inspecting a debris field in the eastern Pacific last November when it noticed an estranged sea turtle tangled in cocaine barrels, reports the Miami Herald.


Ensign Mark Krebs, the mission commander told the paper they saw "significant chafing from the lines on his neck and flippers."

The crew was able to free the turtle and collect the 6,755 kilograms of cocaine, which reportedly has a street value of $53 million. The task force also confiscated 14 pounds of marijuana during the multi-day mission.